Preparation!

As you will know I have been busy preparing for  my Christmas fairs, starting with the Living North one this weekend at York Racecourse! This weekend I was finishing off sewing my Christmas stockings. I am very pleased with how they have turned out as I am not a keen sewer as I am a printer. 

What do you think?

I have also been printing some fabrics for sale. These are a selection of small samples I will be selling which people can use for appliqué or possibly bunting? It features my jungle print on a small scale? 

Dylan was also in for a treat this week with another costume. This week he wanted (without choice) to be a HOT DOG! haha I thought he would hate it but he was running about after his toys in it for a short time. I have also spent the last week printing my Robin tea towels. I was nervous printing them as I wanted them to be perfect but I am very pleased how they have turned out. These will be showcased with me this weekend :) 

One of my dreams has to sell my own fabrics. Even though I would love to do this on a larger scale I just don't have all the facilities yet, but I am nearly there. Here I have some small cotton fabric pieces of my exotic jungle design and my foxglove design. The fabric sizes do vary slightly and these will also be for sale at the weekend. 

Finally, my Christmas greetings cards arrived yay! I was also pleased with these. This time I produced a multidirectional repeat design for a change using my original holly illustration. I also managed to complete all my squirrel kits! Yay! So that was another thing crossed off my list :)

So what do you think?

You can find me this weekend at York Racecourse 15th-17th November! 

All Images and Designs Copyright to Lauren Cherice Designs 2013. 

Print Print Print!

Hi all!

Again, I've had another busy week, I am trying to keep up and on track of my tasks! Here I have to share with you one of my new tote bag designs. It's Dylan! I couldn't resist. I do hope you all like him. We all know what my friends and family will be getting for Christmas. Dylan himself doesn't seen to even realise its him. :) 

I have been back at CCAD again this week. I thought I would have a go at doing some printing in my spare time on an evening. I was delighted to find an old backing cloth from when I produced my final samples. Can you see my tree, mirror and clocks? There is also the leaves design visible which was the design of my close friend Lindsay.

I love mixing new pigments too, yum! :)

Here are some more of my samples. I now have a couple of Mr Penguin and Mr Duck tote bags, they are just waiting to be photographed. My leopard design is also soon to be on a tote, I might experiment with colour further for this one as there is lots of imagery to play with.  

Last week, I also got a new phone and its yellow! It has taken some getting used to and I have missed my Mr Duck phone case dearly. So much so, I have still been using my old phone as a camera. He hopefully will be going to a new home soon.

Dylan's Play Date!

I was very excited when my sister said her friend has a female french bull dog who is also a brindle. Dylan loves other dogs, so much he starts crying in street if he can't go say hello. So, I was very eager to introduce him to Poppy who is 5. 

Yesterday we met at the beach, I wasn't sure how they would be, Dylan was clearly intrigued and eager to be off his lead to run around straight away. It turned out to be so funny. They were constantly running after each other, in the sea in the sand. Poppy, even though older and larger in size was alot faster than Dylan. Here are a few of my favourite photo's from last nights events. 

I also follow quite a lot of frenchie's on instagram and have been in regular contact with someone locally in Scarborough who have a french bull dog a day older than Dylan who is also a brindle. It is great to see his progress like Dylan's. You can find his instagram page here: http://instagram.com/carltonthefrenchie

Dear Diary 27.05.13

I feel like I have so much going on at the minute but I do love being busy. I have three part time jobs which isn't including Lauren Cherice Designs. I am also busy getting organised for my first craft stall of the year which is less than a week away! Eeek. 

At the weekend I popped in Behind the Times in Bridlington to supply them with my new stock.. my Iphone cases. The only problem going into the shop is that I want to buy EVERYTHING! There is so much to look at and want to buy. I love that the shop supports local crafters/designers too.

There is only one of each design there at the moment though! I hope for them to be on Etsy very soon :)

I have also been very busy in the knitting department. I am very addicted to 'Knit one, pearl one' at the minute. I have completed the pattern for Dylans jumper based on a book full of dog outfits which I got for my birthday. I decided to go with the size L but I think now it is going to be too small for Dylan. I intend to add a front panel to solve this problem. I would like to say thank you to my close friend Maggie who has had patience with me along the way. I also found this old multicoloured wool which I have started to knit with also.

We have also finally been in the Bridlington Free Press to celebrate our 1st birthday of been going for a year. I do think its such a lovely photo of us all. I have also got myself my dream bike! I LOVE it. It is so refreshing in the morning getting up and going for a ride on your way to work. 

I also came across these old cards I produced at university. They are screen printed with my squirrel repeat. I am debating what to do with them next. I can't decide whether to take them to my stall in Stockton this saturday! 

I have just spent a lovely weekend with some of my close friends from home. Lydia lives in York and Daniel lives in London so it is lovely to catch up with them at home for this bank holiday. Jade is now back after training to be a teacher. Dylan is growing up and I just love him more each day. He now has a new favourite thing of sneaking for a little snuggle on the bed in the morning. Here is Dylan watching me dry my hair. I think he was very bored as it seemed to take forever.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend! 

My Drawing of Dylan!

This is Dylan on the first day we got him! I can't believe how small he was compared to now! But he is still ever so cute! (Even if I say so). Recently my friend Abbie painted this picture for me for my birthday which I absolutely LOVE! I did however start a drawing of Dylan myself, which I am sharing with you today! 

Dylan would never sit still for a portrait so I am drawing straight from the picture. I always find animals with dark fur hard to draw, not sure why. 

I have discovered now from drawing I do have a particular style. Again, this is a drawing on tracing paper with a black biro pen. I love this method as I love the tones it creates (I have said this before). One thing I would change about this drawing is his eyes. I think I have done them too bold. Eyes are a tricky thing to draw. But I think either way he still looks like my Dylan :)

Above, is my finished drawing. I may add more depth to it at a later date and make the tones darker but I have decided to 'finish' this for now. I find sometimes its always good to have a break from a drawing, you don't want to over work it and spoil it.

I've really got the drawing bug at the moment and I'm eager to draw more. So here we go!

Pretty Snow Pictures!

We have all mainly had a lot of snow recently in the UK. So I thought today I would share some of my favourite snow pics from this year and last year. 

This time last year I was on a work placement at Christopher Farr, London. So I was lucky enough to experience the snow in London. Hyde park was absolutely stunning! Here are a few photo's I took whilst exploring. It felt like Narnia, very enchanting. 

This year I have experienced the snow at home. Again, it was just as lovely. Being cosy at home with the family and new addition Dylan! 

We had lots of fun in the snow. We live next door to the lovely countryside. The fields were covered in fresh snow waiting for us to come and play in. Dylan seemed to enjoy it, although it was very deep for him. I wonder if thats all the snow we will get for this year? 

Dylan's Own Blog!

I thought it would be great to create my little french bull dog Dylan a little blog. I love how he is
growing and love taking pictures of his development. With him being a dog I felt a written diary wouldn't be best so chose to create him a tumblr blog. I've started with pictures from when we first got him and now working my way forward to today. In the future I will be sharing all his experiences. He is definitely a character. View Dylan's Blog here:
http://dylanthefrenchie.tumblr.com